Glucophage XR vs Merformin ER

[Pharaoh]

My husband has type II diabetes and we get his meds from
Merck. They have just unilaterally switched him from
Glucophage XR to Metformin ER. Is anyone using the later and
have you noticed any difference between the two drugs?
Metformin is supposed to be the generic for Glucophage so I
guess it must be alright but I'm wondering what the actual
experience has been.

Thanks, Pharaoh

[Terryr]

Metformin ER is a newly released generic of Glucophage XR. I
don't believe anyone has been using it long enough to answer
that question. Generics are supposed to be a direct
"replacement" for the branded drugs and work the same as the
brand name.

TerryR

"Pharaoh" <hoarahP@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:XRjKb.6683$Qj3.5630@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> My husband has type II diabetes and we get his meds from
Merck. They have
> just unilaterally switched him from Glucophage XR to
Metformin ER. Is
> anyone using the later and have you noticed any difference
between the two
> drugs? Metformin is supposed to be the generic for
Glucophage so I guess it
> must be alright but I'm wondering what the actual
experience has been.
>
> Thanks, Pharaoh

[Stampnscra]

My Type 2 husband has been using the Metformin ER for about 3
weeks and hasn't had any side effects. His numbers are still
good. Unfortunately my pharmacy doesn't consider this a
generic and is charging full price - but it is still about
$13 less than Glucophage XR so there is some savings. Just
wish it would be considered generic - then it would cost $10
instead of $46!

Mary

[Julie E]

I don't like them because of their size. I have a hard time
swallowing the big Glucophage XR pills and now these generic
are even bigger :(. They have gotten stuck every time. I've
only been taking the generic for 3 days, but I haven't noticed
a difference in BG's.

Julie E.

"Pharaoh" <hoarahP@pobox.com> wrote in message
news:XRjKb.6683$Qj3.5630@newssvr29.news.prodigy.com...
> My husband has type II diabetes and we get his meds from
> Merck. They have just unilaterally switched him from
> Glucophage XR to Metformin ER. Is anyone using the later
> and have you noticed any difference between the two
> drugs? Metformin is supposed to be the generic for
> Glucophage so I guess
it
> must be alright but I'm wondering what the actual experience
> has been.
>
> Thanks, Pharaoh

[Loretta Ei]

Mary metformin er is a generic whether your pharmacy feels
that way or not. I would bring it to another pharmacy and see
what happens.

With glucophage xr now being in generic I will be switched to
it. I will see if there is any difference.

Loretta

--
In tribute to the United States of America and the State of
Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife
and terrorism.

[Terryr]

Metformin ER is considered a generic for Glucophage XR by the
U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is on the
First-Time Generics list for October 2003
(http://www.fda.gov/cder/ogd/approvals/1stgen1003.htm). If
you live in the US and your pharmacy don't consider it a
generic, I would bring this to their attention. If they still
don't consider it a generic, I would report them and get a
new pharmacy.

TerryR

"StampNScrap1128" <stampnscrap1128@aol.comnospam> wrote in
message news:20040105172820.21823.00001316@mb-m19.aol.com...
> My Type 2 husband has been using the Metformin ER for
about 3 weeks and hasn't
> had any side effects. His numbers are still good.
Unfortunately my pharmacy
> doesn't consider this a generic and is charging full
price - but it is still
> about $13 less than Glucophage XR so there is some
savings. Just wish it would
> be considered generic - then it would cost $10 instead of
$46!
>
> Mary

[K'Neh'A'Iw]

StampNScrap1128 wrote:

> My Type 2 husband has been using the Metformin ER for about
> 3 weeks and hasn't had any side effects. His numbers are
> still good. Unfortunately my pharmacy doesn't consider this
> a generic and is charging full price - but it is still about
> $13 less than Glucophage XR so there is some savings. Just
> wish it would be considered generic - then it would cost $10
> instead of $46!
>
> Mary

What does being generic have to do with price? It has been
pointed out that Glucophage XR does not carry a very large
premium over metformin, therefore there may not be much
difference,

Glucophage tablets 500MG $46.99 Generic Metformin HCl
tablets 500MG $33.99

Glucophage XR 24 hour tablets 500MG $44.99 Generic
Metformin HCl 24 hour tablets 500MG $39.99

These prices are from drugstore.com.

--
K'neH'a'Iw

Uncloaking, Shields up.

[Priscilla]

Julie E <julieenewsTIREDOFSPAM@prodigy.net> quoth:
>I don't like them because of their size. I have a hard time
>swallowing the big Glucophage XR pills and now these generic
>are even bigger :(. They have gotten stuck every time. I've
>only been taking the generic for 3 days, but I haven't
>noticed a difference in BG's.

Can you cut them in half and take the halves in separate
swallows? Or does that affect the extended effect?

Priscilla

[Gary Woods]

K'neH'a'Iw <K'neH'a'Iw@mindspring.com> wrote:

>What does being generic have to do with price?

For me, ten bux; the difference between generic and "brand
name" in my copay. If my insurance company considers Metformin
ER to be generic. I'm still trying to figure if using plain
metformin and dealing with timing it would get me better
control. If it looks likely, I'll ask for a handful of samples
next time around....

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at
www.albany.net/~gwoods Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420'
elevation. NY WO G

[K'Neh'A'Iw]

Gary Woods wrote:

> K'neH'a'Iw <K'neH'a'Iw@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>
>>What does being generic have to do with price?
>
>
> For me, ten bux; the difference between generic and "brand
> name" in my copay. If my insurance company considers
> Metformin ER to be generic.

The OP said something about the pharmacy not considering it
generic, As you say it makes a difference to the insurance
company, not the pharmacy.

In any event in this case there does not seem to be a big
premium on the brand name vs the generic, in either regular or
extended release versions. Since the price of generic is so
close to the price of the brand, a $10 differential in the
co-pay appears to cost the insurance company money.
--
K'neH'a'Iw

Uncloaking, Shields up.

[Stampnscra]

>Mary metformin er is a generic whether your pharmacy feels
>that way or not. I would bring it to another pharmacy and see
>what happens.

I just called the pharmacist and he said he'd try to get it
through the insurance company as a generic. My insurance
company is really stinky about prescriptions, no matter what
pharmacy we use. It's due for a refill on January 12 so before
I go get it, I'll call both the pharmacy and the insurance
company to see what the price will be. When I got the
prescription filled on December 12, I didn't even know it had
switched to generic and didn't even think of calling the
insurance company (plus being busy with the holidays and all).
This time I'm definitely going to pursue the generic price!

Mary

[Loretta Ei]

I dont mean to say that five dollars is nothing, but I dont
think that it is that much to make a change necessaryl.
Unfortunately my insurance company has instituted a new
generic only policy so I have to go with the flow. When I
start,. I will be watching.

There really should be a bigger difference in the two prices.

Loretta of course jmo

--
In tribute to the United States of America and the State of
Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife
and terrorism.

[Gary Woods]

Ronetta@webtv.net (Loretta Eisenberg) wrote:

>Unfortunately my insurance company has instituted a new
>generic only policy

And where, pray tell is their license to practice medicine?
Sorry; a pet peeve of mine. In this country, "managed care"
really means "rationed care."

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at
www.albany.net/~gwoods Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420'
elevation. NY WO G